Chapter 746 - Generally fighting
The days of the wave rolled on and the mana level continued to rise, increasing the spawn rates of monsters throughout the Dungeon to an absurd rate. Every hour, thousands of newborn monsters clashed in the tunnels around the Colony, warring and fighting, the losers feeding the winners who grew rapidly in strength, feasting on their lessers. A hundred thousand tales of victory and death were woven every day in the area just outside the Colony's defensive line.
Not that it mattered. The monsters from the deep were rising, crushing those from above and pressing onward, desperate to escape those from beneath who drove them from their territories. They savaged those weaker than them, absorbing their power and seeking more until they inevitably ran into the iron wall that was the Colony.
Hundreds of defenders manned fortified chokepoints, bombarding the encroaching beasts with acid and spells until they fell on the ravenous jaws of the soldiers. They never fought an even numbered fight, always dividing the enemy and destroying them with overwhelming force before turning to the next. Should the pressure become too great, they would fall back, retreating to another prepared position, with a fresh wave of troops ready to fill the breach. After gathering their strength, the ants would shove back the wave and retake the outer wall, reinforcing it again within the hour.
On and on it went. The wave was relentless, but so was the Colony, and every day that passed, their numbers grew. And grew.
Organising it all had been enough to drive Victor to the brink of exhaustion, but as the days ticked by the Colony defence practically ran itself. The local generals were intelligent and capable, experienced in the ways of the caste after fighting off the siege, they hardly needed input from herself or Sloan to run their checkpoints. As new recruits graduated the academy, they slotted into the existing structures with barely a ripple, the size of each garrison growing every day.
Which is why she found herself on the front line, providing buffs and taking her turn in the line to fight. Without the need for her at central command, what other choice did she have? Sit around and do nothing? Don't even suggest it!
"Big push coming!" she called back to the line of mages and scouts behind her, "Brace! Brace! Brace!"
The massive soldiers, with their thick carapace and huge frames, packed themselves tightly together, covering the narrow entrance they defended from every angle until she could barely see past them. Activating her aura gland along with her commanding presence Skills, she did her part to coordinate the troops, make those last second adjustments before contact.
With a deafening roar, the crush of monsters beyond the wall made their last second charge, smashing into the ants with concussive force that rippled through the air and blew back the general's antennae. The soldiers absorbed the punishment without flinching, sparks flying as the enemy tried to scr.a.p.e and bite at their chitin shells.
"In three! Two! One! PULL!" she called.
In one coordinated motion, the soldiers drew back to clear the opening which was immediately bombarded by the waiting scouts and mages. A huge volume of acid, fire and shards of ice were hurled into the teeth of the horde who recoiled from the barrage, all except one. Working together, a few of the strongest soldiers darted forward, latching onto a monster and dragging it back through the gap where the rest of them fell upon it, chomping with controlled fury until it was no more.
"BRACE!" Victor ordered.
In a flash the soldiers were back in position, blocking the entrance as the endless monsters pressed back against them once more. They endured the hammer blows of the enemy as the mages and scouts prepared their next spells and readied their acid.
"On my order we will pull, rotate and heal! Be ready!" she shouted, watching the narrow chokepoint with an intense focus.
"In three! Two! One! PULL!"
This time, as the soldiers pulled back in perfect coordination, they also rotated their position around the opening, moving in a clockwise direction. As the scouts and mages poured out as much damage as they could, a team of healers rushed forward to minister to the wounded, pouring their healing energies into them to help them recover in as short a time as possible. Despite the constant stream of acid and magic being blasted through the narrow gap, monsters still manage to press closer to the opening, only to be dragged through and set upon by the waiting mandibles of the ants, including Victor herself.
After ten seconds, she roared out her order again.
"BRACE!"
And so the cycle repeated, over and over, until their team was finally relieved by another group and was able to fall back to eat and rest. Several of the Soldiers sported semi-severe injuries, their carapace unable to hold up to the constant beating. They'd need a day of healing to be back to full strength, most likely, which meant Victor would be short a full complement of Soldiers for the next shift. A problem she would work to solve after she had some time to recover. The toll of having to concentrate so fiercely for hours on end was great and she was keen for some torpor. But first she had to report in.
"General," she snapped out a quick salute to the general in charge of this checkpoint.
"General," the officer snapped one right back, "come to report?"
"Indeed."
She went on to give details of their shift, had the concentration of mana and monster spawns gone up? How many demons had been seen, what types of demons, any sighting of tier five or above monsters, injuries sustained and so on.
"Seems a successful shift," the general in charge observed, "you might not have killed as many monsters as some others, but your injury rate is much lower."
"We are in for the long haul, general," Victor sighed, "the experience will come, but only if our people are well enough to fight."
"Right you are," the ant nodded, "go get some rest. You've earned it."
From there it was off to the recovery area to be checked for injuries, then into the prepared chambers with the rest of her unit to huddle together in torpor. In six hours, they'd be back to the wall, putting their bodies on the line to try to fend off the never-ending press of the wave, only this time, with three less soldiers. Perhaps she would be able to take the place of one of them? She wasn't as durable as the soldiers were, not even close, but she was certainly tougher than most generals thanks to her better evolutions. Maybe if she rotated with a few of the larger scouts...
Enough, she scolded herself, get some rest.
And so she stilled her thoughts and allowed her body to drift off into torpor whilst only a hundred metres away the fierce battle continued.
-x-X-x-
"What I want to know, Captain, is when you and our new oppressors will settle the matter of reparations!" the old man sneered.
Wallace Dalton, former Captain of the Rylleh City Guard and now the appointed military adjutant to the Rylleh branch of the Colony, suppressed the urge to spit and continued to grind his chew between his teeth, hoping the repetitive motion of his jaws would help burn off his irritation.
"Citizen Alliornus..." he began.
The old man's eyes blazed with fury.
"THAT'S LORD ALLIORNUS TO YOU, BOY!" he bellowed, spittle flying.
Wallace took a quick step back to dodge the expectorant and giggled internally at the impotent rage of this relic.
"Citizen Alliornus," he repeated with an added emphasis that he relished, "you are certainly aware that within this city, there is no such thing as a lord or lady, are you not?"
His needling produced the desired result as the once wealthy council member swelled up like a toad, jowls swinging as his temper took full hold.
"My family worked to found this city!" he declared with all the pomposity he could muster, "securing the future of their descendants and creating enduring prosperity for all the traitorous residents of this once great place. My authority, my belongings and my wealth have been illegally seized by these interloping insects and I DEMAND that they pay it back!"
Every day with these people. Would their self-interest ever cease? Wallace sighed and fixed the idiot in front of him with a steely glare that deflated the man like a puffed up balloon.
"Let me be as clear as I can possibly be with you, Charitus," he dropped formality and used the once powerful man's first name, "as grateful as the residents of this place are for what your ancestors did, they aren't so grateful that they are prepared to happily suffer under your incompetent and corrupt governance. If I were to hazard a guess, if the Lion Fist of city legend were to come back and see what his house had fallen to, he'd spit in your face."
The ex-lord bl.u.s.tered and tried to speak up but Wallace spoke straight over him.
"The Colony does not care about you, and I want to emphasise this, at all. I would be absolutely shocked to learn if any authority figure within the ant power structure knew your name or had heard of a single complaint you've lodged, which I have filed with them. There is absolutely no chance that they are going to return whatever it was that they took from you."
The man had grown so red in the face during this speech that he almost appeared as if he were going to pop. Wallace watched the colour change with a vague sense of fascination, wondering just how dark a human complexion could possibly turn before they suffered a stroke.
"This is THEFT!" he hollered. "PIRACY and THEFT! Where is the justice?!"
"In my experience, former councillor, there is never any justice when the weak are picked on by the strong. How many times did I send guards to evict those who were unable to pay the high rates you demanded for your loans? Loans that only the truly desperate with nowhere else to turn would dare accept? I can remember many scenes of widows weeping in the street, begging for justice that they would never receive. The Colony has come, and in their eyes you are a pathetic, weak individual with no strength or power to speak of. Why would they deal with you? Can you compel them to sit at a table with you?"
Silence was the only response to that question.
"... as I thought."
Filled with contempt, Wallace leaned to one side and spat a wad of coloured spit on the ground next to the man's shoe.
"Right now, Lord Alliornus, you are the widow in the street, I am you, and what do you know? I hear you wailing and I just don't care. So why don't you shut up, crawl back to what's left of your mansion and diddle one of the maids you can still afford to pay?"
Taking careful measure of Charitus' face, Wallace judged he'd pushed the man close to a major aneurism, but hadn't quite managed to tip him over the line. More's the pity.
"The people won't stand for this," he said stiffly, "the city cannot survive when those insects run roughshod over traditions and disregard our laws. There will be an uprising. I personally guarantee it."
"By the Dungeon, I hope so," Wallace replied flatly. "I'm bored out of my mind and could use a little action. Also, frankly? Anyone in this city who would be willing to go back to your rule is far too stupid for me to want them to continue living here. That is a segment of the population I would gladly see excised. Now, please, get the hell out of my office."
Unwilling to be insulted any further, the enraged scion of a once mighty house turned on his heel and left, striding out and collecting the few lackeys he'd left outside on the way. Turning around, Wallace found his spit bucket and cleaned out the foul taste in his mouth with a rinse of water, levering in a new wedge of chew once he was done.
"Do you have to be so... direct... with them?" came the voice of his secretary, his former lieutenant, Yasmine.
"Yes," he grunted, "what's next?"
She ruffled a few papers on her desk.
"I think you're clear for the rest of the afternoon, surprisingly," she almost looked puzzled by that fact. "Can you imagine being this relaxed during a wave... before?" she asked.
He idly noticed she still had trouble acknowledging the admittedly traumatising invasion that they had suffered through. There wasn't a man, woman or child in the city who could possibly forget the events of that fateful day, with the exception of one child, Thomas Barnes, who somehow managed to sleep through the whole thing. What Yasmine said was true, there really wasn't that much to do. Although he was still nominally in charge of the town guard, they had been reduced to essentially a police force, no longer responsible for defending the city from monstrous incursions. The Colony had taken care of that. He was one of the few people to know of the vast territory that the Colony had claimed, so large that Rylleh had been included within it, and of the measures they had taken to manage the wave, measures which meant that, so far, the citizens of the city had barely noticed a change other than the rising mana levels.
"I really can't," he smiled and shook his head. "You have to give it to the ants, when they go about getting something done, they don't do it by half measures."
At his mention of their new insect overlords, Yasmine flinched slightly, but he pretended not to notice. She was well on the way to recovery from the terror she had felt that day, but was still very uncomfortable around the monsters.
"If my schedule is clear then I may as well mosey over and check in with the envoy," he said. "Take the afternoon off, Yas. Go shopping, or sleep, or whatever the hell you young people do."
She favoured him with a small smile before she snapped out a quick salute, purely out of habit, then turned and left.
"Let's go see what those mad bugs have gone and done now," Wallace muttered as he slung his jacket over his shoulders.
-x-X-x-
Wallace was an old soldier and he knew enough about himself that he could be fairly confident of judging his own state of mind. He was pretty sure that during the invasion, he'd gone ever so slightly mad. Perhaps more than slightly. That wasn't what he thinking about though, having your mind crack a little on the edges wasn't all that surprising given the stress and near certain death he'd thought he was about to experience. What he was reflecting on was the sneaking suspicion that he was still mad. He must be. How else could he look at a scene like this and consider it normal, without being at least somewhat insane?
"All for one," intoned the ant-robed priest.
"One for all," the crowd chanted back.
"Remember always, that the individual has worth as part of the group, and that the group has worth because it is a collection of individuals. We choose to work together, to sacrifice for the betterment of each other. That is the source of our strength."
"Praise the Colony!"
Wallace turned his back on the preacher and his congregation and walked to the nearby guard post. Pretty much any time of day there would a priest or priestess giving a sermon to crowds of varying sizes. Considering how much work got done around the city these days, he was always surprised that so many of them found space in their schedule to stand around listening to person with antennae sewed onto their hood with a glazed look in their eyes. He nodded to the soldiers on duty who snapped out a quick salute.
"You do remember you have to salute me anymore, right?" he asked dryly.
"Force of habit sir," the guardsman grinned at him.
Wallace shrugged it off.
"Any sign of trouble?"
"None, as usual," came the reply. "The sermons have been pretty restrained and the crowds quite happy overall. I head there was a bit of a ruckus over in the market district this morning. Apparently the ants found a merchant cheating his taxes, which went over about as well as you could expect."
The former captain grunted and spat for good measure. Merchants. They never stopped thinking they were more clever than everyone else, always willing to try and pull the wool over the taxman's eyes. Apparently willing even when the taxman was a giant ant monster who could literally read minds if they wanted to. The ants might not really understand the concept of money, but they could certainly appreciate the idea of taxes. Every citizen contributing a portion of their wealth to the city to ensure the wellbeing of all? Of course they should! There had been long, long discussions with Enid when she had been here about the implementation of the new tax code and she'd revealed to him that the initial tax rate proposed by the Colony had been a hundred percent.
After strenuous negotiations, she'd managed to talk them down to ninety, she'd informed him, but it was only when the ants had seen the merchant delegation literally foam at the mouth and pass out did they realise the culture gap might be a little too wide to accept their idea of what constituted a proper contribution to the betterment of the collective. The final tax rate was still high, by the cities standards, but it turns out people didn't mind paying it so much when the individuals in charge were incorruptible insect monsters. Every coin collected went straight back into the city, without exception.
"I'll head over later to see if I can smooth anything over," he said, casting his eyes across the newly refurbished town centre.
What had once been the enclosed sanctuary of the powerful, housing the treasury, council chambers, portal structure and other offices of government, was now a public garden centred around a massive ant hill that rose dozens of metres into the air, easily visible from all over the city. All beaurocracy was handled by the Colony now, so the other buildings had been summarily removed. The preachers had established a platform on the lower reaches of the hill, with a wide flat area for people to stand and listen to them.
Naturally, the area was crawling with ants, literally. Most of them were worker variants, running hither and thither about their duties, antennae twitching this way and that as they moved. Wallace knew for a fact that there was a sizeable detachment of soldier ants deep within the structure, ready to emerge at the first sign of danger. Anyone foolish enough to assault the ant hill would find themselves in a world of pain very quickly.
Wallace made his way to the petition platform, constructed by the ants as a place where citizens could come and directly make requests or inform them of issues that they believed where necessary. They'd gone all out making it as well. The petitioners, common citizens all, were seated on marble benches padded with soft woollen pillows and blankets, with proper back support and all. The ants provided water and snacks to those waiting as a matter of courtesy, though goodness knows where they came from. There were numerous petitioner booths open at any given time, each staffed by an ant mage ready to converse, as well as a human representative to help 'translate' anything that the ants might not conceptually understand.
He could remember one incident when a cheating husband had been dragged by his irate wife before the ants where she'd demanded they extract retribution for his unfaithfulness. What had followed was an exhausting, multiple hour long discussion in which the ants had learned what a male was, what marriage was and about human mating in general. Their ruling on the matter? 'Make one human the Queen and let her take care of everything.'
As he approached, one of the mages broke away from the others and moved toward him, a mind-bridge connecting to him as it did so.
[Adjutant Wallace. We welcome you to the nest. Is there anything pressing the matter?]
He frowned a little.
[Is that you, Lucy? Or is it Rosetta? I find it damn hard to tell sometimes.]
The ant flicked an antenna in irritation.
[I do not have a name,] she replied.
He shrugged.
[I need to have some way to tell you all apart! It would be rude to just think of all of you as 'ant' wouldn't it?]
She tilted her head.
[Can't you tell by smell?]
[No I can't tell by smell. Human, remember?]
[I forget you have such poor senses of smell. It must make it hard to move around without having scent trails to follow.]
He was about to explain the concept of signposts and maps but closed his mouth in the nick of time. They were endlessly curious about other societies, constantly looking for ideas that they might adapt to their own way of living, but her couldn't be bothered going into right now.
[Just checking in, really,] he said, [though the former rulers of this city are still agitating for you to give them their money back.]
[Have you told them to come and make a petition?]
[Must have slipped my mind,] he lied.
[They are free to come and put their questions to the Colony, same as everyone else. Make sure you remember to inform them next time,] the mage admonished him mildly.
[I see the gifts are piling up again,] he nodded toward an area at the base of the hill which was heaped with offerings from the townspeople. Lucy, he was sure it was Lucy, seemed to huff in frustration.
[We keep telling them not to bother, but every day more of them come. What are we supposed to do with this stuff?]
[The people are simply expressing their gratitude,] he said softly.
[For what? Conquering the city?] she sounded halfway between amused and puzzled.
[What do you do with all of it, anyway?] he asked, curious.
[Give it to those who need it,] she shrugged.
Typical ants.
[How goes the defence against the wave?] he enquired. [Any chance you need more of us to volunteer and head out to fight? I can rustle up a few squads in ten minutes I bet.]
[You would be in one of them, I wager,] Lucy was wise to his game, long used to him trying to escape his duties and get back to fighting monsters. [Our defences are holding, though the pressure continues to build. From what I hear, the Eldest has been out fighting personally in the depths for days on end to try and stem the tide. If they are out there, I'm sure things will be fine.]
He didn't need to try hard to recall the visage of the enormous ant he had seen during the assault. Apparently the 'Eldest' had evolved again since then, something Wallace wasn't too keen to see. Tier six monsters were no joke. The sheer size of the Queen was shocking to him still.
[Let me know if you change your mind,] he grumped.
-x-X-x-
As the days of the wave drag on, my pets and I maintain the same routine. We fight, eat, rest and then repeat. It's pretty obvious after all this time why pet obsessed Dungeon dwellers like the Sophos are so rare, getting a monster to tier six is a massive pain the butt. Let alone two. Obviously what I'm doing isn't all that similar to what the Formo and his kind do, they raise their monsters over a period of decades, caring from them and pouring all of their time, energy and designing every aspect of their build around raising and training potent monsters. I'm just power levelling my pets and hoping it all works out for the best.
Still, imagine the pain and anguish of a normal Dungeon delver when the tier six monster they had poured endless wealth and resources into dies in the Dungeon. Years of effort, a literal fortune in cores, all gone. If you were able to get the core back, then all wasn't lost as you could reconstitute it again, but the soul of your pet would be forever lost. If you couldn't get the core back... which was likely considering the trainer is always weaker than the pets they keep as a rule, you just had to eat the loss and start again.
I can see why not many are tempted by it.
For me though, it's all good! To be honest, despite the exhausting and relentless nature of the wave, I've been quite enjoying my time with Tiny, Crinis and Invidia in the tunnels. It's almost like the old days, with just me and my pets, fighting against the odds, although the Colony is literally only a few dozen metres behind us. As we draw ever closer to my two magnificent pets approaching the goal line, I'm reminded of Enid and her request that I head to the surface to poke my nose around Renewal.
If I'm going to do it, it's probably going to have to be now. As the wave goes on, the mana level continues to rise and stronger monsters pour out of the depths. It's probably gotten high enough that it can sustain me right now, for a while at least, and if I wait any longer then the Colony is going to have a hard time hanging on if something really nasty crawls out of the third strata... or even lower.
[Alright team!] I announce to my exhausted pets, [We are heading on up for a break. Let's go!]
So saying, I march right up to the general, announce my plans for a quick break, and get on out of there. As expected, Burke races up to me before I've gotten more than twenty minutes into my journey.
"Eldest! Where are you going!" she calls as I continue on my merry way.
"To the surface!" I announce cheerfully, "wanna come with?"
"Uhh, no? Are you sure this is a good time to go up to the surface, Eldest? What with the wave and all?"
"Is that supposed to be a joke? This is literally the only time I can go to the surface. Are you trying to deny me the sun? The warmth of the open air? Have you truly become so cold, Burke?"
"You know what I mean, Eldest," the large scout shakes her head with irritation, "it's hard work holding off the wave and without the support of you and your guardians it'll be that much harder. I would never accuse you of shirking your responsibilities, but do you really think you should be taking a break?"
If I could, I'd roll my eyes.
"You built five layers of defence down there and so far haven't had to use more than the second in the deepest parts of the territory. I think you'll be alright if I take a few hours off."
"That's only because you've been there, Eldest..."
"Bah! If you guys are so nervous about it, get in there yourselves. Put Leeroy on the job, I haven't seen her or her squad down there yet."
She looks to one side as she replies.
"We were worried if we sent Leeroy charging out that she'd never come back."
"Put a leash on her! Yeesh! I absolutely refuse to believe it's going to be that big a deal. Put Leeroy out there and tell her if she runs off into the Dungeon that I'll chase after her when I get back and she won't enjoy what happens after that. She won't die, but she might wish that she had!"
Endless tea time and grub tickling duty for you, Leeroy! Don't think I won't do it!
Somewhat placated, Burke leaves me in peace to go report back to the rest of the council about my day trip, no doubt they'd worked themselves into a tizzy the moment they heard about me leaving the front. Chumps. Do I need to train them again and instil a little more backbone?! The proud soldiers of the Colony are going to be fine for a little while as I head out, if I didn't believe that, I wouldn't be going anywhere in the first place!
The trip from the ground to the surface is irritating, as all travel is during a wave, but takes far less time than I would have thought. The Colony has been diligent in remodelling their territory and the 'express tunnel' they constructed connecting the main nest to the surface ant-hill is an incredible piece of work that I hadn't even realised was being done. It's very steep, but that doesn't prove to be much of a challenge to the thousands of ants that run this connection every day, delivering Biomass, cores and other resources from the depths to the surface, not to mention the hatchlings making the journey with their tenders to the academy.
As expected for such an important tunnel, there is a heavy presence of soldiers on deployment here, savaging any monster with the poor fortune to spawn within the walls. Using this tunnel, it's a matter of mere hours before we arrive back in the first strata close to the surface. My old stomping grounds! For nostalgia's sake, I take a slight detour off the main travel tunnel to nose about in the Dungeon proper. It's somewhat amusing, but also a little saddening, to see that I can no longer fit into the smaller tunnels that I once used to hide from the main thoroughfares. The monsters I used to be so afraid of still proliferate here, the wolves, thorn lizards and even the centipedes abound. A definitive lack of Croca-beasts however. It seems Gandalf, or the Dungeon, has no interest in spawning those creatures, and without their parent, there are probably very few of the monsters left.
Bullying around the monsters I used to fear is fun for a little while, but quickly grows boring as my core is already starting to leak out a little mana. I task all sub-brains with drawing in as much energy as possible and I ensure that my legs remain in contact with the ground as much as possible, sucking up mana from the rock. It's enough, barely. It's a different story when we finally crest the top of the anthill and expose ourselves to the sky once more.
The surface nest has undergone significant modifications since last I was here. It's expanded greatly, for one thing, the academy and training grounds taking up the majority of the room. There are still many foundries and crafting areas for tier three carvers to utilise, though I suspect the main industrial centres of the Colony have all been shifted deeper into the nest. Our passing through is noticed by the many hatchlings and brood tenders who congregate here, the little ones stopping their activities to goggle at us as their minders scold them to keep their minds on task. It's amusing in a way and I wave my antennae this way and that, saying hi to all of the members of my family I see.
Standing atop the hill I'm treated to a panoramic view of the surrounding area, which is vastly changed from what I last saw. The land has been heavily developed, for one, with wide, irrigated and tilled fields stretching in the distance, small farmsteads dotting the landscape here and there, chimneys wafting white smoke into the air. The town itself has undergone staggering growth, multiple double-story buildings popping up alongside what was now a clear, wide street running through the centre of what had become a thriving community. It was nice to stand there and take it all in, less nice when the pointing and kneeling started.
Something was very wrong with these people.
-x-X-x-
That damned priest has continued to infect these people with his nonsense, I see, judging by the reaction from the townsfolk. Although, there is a faint chance that they think I'm the Queen, given that they've never seen an ant of my size before. As nice as it is to think that these people might be paying homage to Mother, the thought is only faint, deep down I know exactly what these people are thinking. Should I strike a pose? No, too tasteless.
I walk down the side of the anthill, taking notice of the severe drain on my mana as I do so. Despite my best efforts, and the well above average mana in the air, I just can't bring in anywhere near enough energy to satisfy the demands of my core. The mana bleeds out of me with every step that I take and it rapidly becomes clear than I won't be able to stay above ground for long. Having evolved to tier six, the surface really is barred to me from this point on.
Which raises an interesting point. According to what I've learned of the history of this place, the ancients are the biggest and baddest monsters Pangera has ever seen, what tier they are, goodness knows, but somehow they were out and about on the surface during what was effectively the very first 'wave'. Exactly how much mana was there flooding out of the Dungeon to produce the conditions for tier ten or above monsters (I imagine) to survive up here?! The mere thought of it is enough to make me shudder.
Regardless, I do my best to power my core as I continue toward the town of Renewal.
Word of my appearance atop the hill must have spread quickly, since I find Enid leading a delegation towards me as I approach the first buildings. I don't recognise most of them, though there are a few faces that tickle my memory. That guard guy is here, along with a scattering of others I recognise from the siege. Of course Beyn is here. Goodness gracious this guy has nothing better to do than hound me, does he? Casting my eyes about, I can see a gaggle of antmancers sprinting toward us at full speed, their antennae flopping wildly in the breeze. I'll never be free of these idiots.
Sighing internally, I weave together a quick mindbridge and extend it toward Enid.
[Here, as requested,] I announce.
She smiles broadly at my pronouncement.
[I'm glad you were able to make it,] she says, [I appreciate you coming even though I'm sure it isn't comfortable for you.]
She's got that right.
[You aren't wrong. I'm leaking mana all over the place and it is far from a good feeling, if I do say so myself. As much as I'm looking forward to the tour, we're going to have to keep it relatively quick I'm afraid.]
[Of course,] she nods, [let's not waste any more time then. This way, please Anthony.]
With a sweeping gesture she indicates the direction we are to travel and then falls in beside me as we start to wander through the town.
[It's kind of bizarre to walk next to you like this,] I observe, [back when I first met you, I was what, tier three? Four? You were taller than me back then!]
She laughs.
[I have to agree, you monsters sure do grow up quickly compared to a human, how long have you been alive? A year? Already tier six! It's a dizzying speed by normal standards, at least as I understand these things. I suppose the repeated waves and all the trials you've been through have at least had the welcome side effect of helping you grow to your current size.]
I'm certainly a heck of a lot bigger than I was back then. In my previous evolution, I was roughly the size of a van, with my head positioned around chest height on an average human if my legs were set at a natural angle. Now though, I'm at least fifty percent larger, bigger than a minibus, smaller than an actual bus, my weight must be pushing into multiple tons. It's certainly a bit of a change from a human body! Even if my head is only slightly above Enid's at this point, my sheer size and mass when moving around make me feel truly large, to the point I take up a good portion of the roads as we walk.
As we make a slow tour, Enid is a talkative guide, filling me in on the work that's been done in the town, telling me stories of the many new residents and their circ.u.mstances and the ever expanding plans for new development. It's clear she's immensely proud of the people, praising their tireless work ethic and indomitable optimism in the face of disaster.
[I keep having to warn you, Enid,] I say, [you can't just start praising people's work ethic in front of an ant!]
[Oh, pish,] she grimaces with good humour, [these are good people and they've worked day and night. Just because we need sleep doesn't mean you should look down on us.]
[You know very well that we need to rest. You've been down there long enough to see.... Them... at work.]
[Oh, yes,] she shivers, [creepiest thing I ever saw. Ironically, I couldn't sleep a wink that night.]
[As long as they don't find out about it, you should be good...]
She freezes.
[They don't come for people do they?]
[As of yet I've made no comment to the Colony about how much humans should sleep, so I think you're safe.]
She breathes an obvious sigh of relief at my words and we continue our walking tour. Everywhere I look there are humans working and cooperating alongside the many ants that observe and assist them in their labour. There are members of the Colony everywhere, in the fields tending to crops, anywhere something is being built or crafted or traded, an ant is there. It's remarkable how comfortable the people have become around us, there isn't any sign of discomfort or antagonism that I can detect. It's honestly impressive.
[I really didn't expect the Colony to integrate so well with your people,] I observe to Enid.
[I didn't expect the people to integrate so well with the Colony,] she smiles, [in times of crises people may be more amenable to a change of attitude. After their homes were destroyed by Garralosh and her horde, these people fled here and then relied on another group of monsters to put their lives back together. Did you know that small groups have broken off to establish new villages alongside the Colony's new surface nests? These people are determined to follow your family no matter where they will go.]
[Isn't that mainly the priest's fault?] I grumble, flicking an antennae toward the one-armed man bouncing along in my wake like a puppy who needs attention.
[In part. But do you really think these people would have been so willing to accept what it was that he had to say if not for aid and assistance they've received on a daily basis from the Colony?]
[Probably not,] I admit.
Looking around, I can see humans of all ages gathering to watch me and my pets as we walk past. There's no fear, or nervousness in their faces, only joy and excitement. It's a nice feeling, I suppose, to be able to help people and have them be happy to see you when you come back. It's the kneeling and praying that I have issue with... because they are there as well, groups here and there, hands clasped to their chest as they whisper prayers under their breath and in their hearts. This one wants me to bless them with children, this one is wishing for me to harden their determination to work hard. Yet another is earnestly praying within their soul to be reincarnated as an ant in their next life. Sorry chief, I'm not sure it works that way for people in this world...
Although, who knows? I'm certainly not the authority on Gandalf's rules. Tell you what mate, I'll put in a good word for you next time I see the bearded one, alright?
-x-X-x-
I highly enjoyed my time on the surface with Enid, taking a look about the place, enjoying the sun on my diamond carapace and taking in the open air. It's amazing how quickly you get used to the narrow tunnels of the nest and Dungeon, although that may just be due to me being an ant monster. It reminded me of how resilient people (and ants) really are. It wasn't long ago that the Colony and every person living in Renewal was knocked down onto their knees, their backs against the wall as we fended off certain annihilation. Now look at us, thriving and surviving no matter what gets thrown our way.
The peace between the two people really has blossomed and had wonderful benefits to both sides. The booming antdustrial revolution would have taken much longer to get going without the help of the human craftspeople being so willing to share their knowledge and techniques. In return, the Colony provided the bulk of the labour required to establish the town as it exists today, clearing the fields, sourcing the wood and stone for construction. It's a partnership that continues to strengthen, with volunteers coming into the Dungeon and risking their lives to fight alongside us.
I kind of got the feeling that Enid would have liked a speech or something from me to the townsfolk whilst I was up there, something to commemorate what would likely be my last visit to the surface, but I dodged her requests. I'm not comfortable being in the spotlight at the best of times, and I have a strange feeling that no matter what I said it would be twisted into some unimaginable meaning by the fanatics listening in. Instead, I was content to roam about the place and stick my nose into everyone's business, chatting with Enid and saying hi to my many siblings on the surface.
It was a great time, and a pleasant break, but the constantly leaking energy from my core meant that it couldn't last, and after a few hours I was forced to retreat to the Dungeon. With a final wave of the antennae, I pointedly ignored the weeping antmancers who appeared to be praising the sun with their hands extended, floods of tears and snot running down their faces as I dove back into the nest.
Once inside I raced to go deeper and the moment I was back below surface level I felt the rush of mana in the air and greedily pulled it into my core, drinking it like a thirsty person in the desert handed a cool glass of water. Phew!
[That was a bit rough, eh Invidia?] I commented to the gently flapping eyeball.
[It wassssss mosssst unpleassssant] he replies.
[The next time you and me evolve we won't be able to make it to the surface even during a wave most likely,] I observe to him. [Actually, that was your first ever trip to the surface wasn't it?]
[Yesssss...]
[What did you think?]
[It wasss too bright.]
[You've spent most of your life in the second strata. A candle is probably too bright for you. Ah well, let's keep on going, I won't be able to feel comfortable until we get to the bottom of the first layer at least. Once we've recharged our cores, it'll be back to the frontlines and back into the fight. You ready Tiny? Crinis?]
[Ready, Master!]
[Hurrrrr!]
[Good replies! Let's get to it!]
The trip back into the depths is uneventful, the super highway constructed by the colony facilitating the journey wonderfully. I have to say, it's a little intimidating rushing down this wide tunnel into the darkness. They didn't muck around when they dug this thing. It's probably at least fifteen metres across, the sheer amount of rock they'd have to move to get it done boggles the mind, and the slope is probably close to seventy-five degrees. If I wasn't an ant, this would be tricky as hell. In fact, given my drastically increased size, my grip skill is having more than a little trouble holding my weight even on this slope. I'll have to make sure I put in a ton of training in order to make sure I can hold up my tons. Heh.
Once more embraced by the shadow sea, the inky black slick of dark mana that infuses the second strata, we continue our descent until we find our way back to the nest. Unsurprisingly, I find Wills waiting at the end of the highway, her antennae twitching anxiously.
"Are you kidding me Wills? I wasn't even gone half a day!" I exclaim, exasperated.
"They've already been made to retreat to the third defensive line down there," she tells me in a rush, "Sloan encouraged me to wait here so I could persuade you to go back out there the moment you got back."
"Where is Sloan, is she on the frontline?"
"Yes!"
Ah.
"Alright, fine. They aren't seriously in danger of breaking through are they?"
I really didn't think the Colony would be pressed to this extent just to hold off the wave. They've faced down greater challenges than this, surely. I knew it would be difficult, sure, but unable to cope without me there, that's not what I expected.
The scout hesitated.
"I don't ... think so," she said, "but they are worried that the cost of holding out the wave will grow once ants start to fall in greater numbers. The further they get pushed back, the more desperately they are forced to fight for every inch of ground, and the more casualties there are. I think they are nervous that things will start to escalate out of control if you don't return to relieve the pressure."
So they're panicking a little.
"No problem then," I sigh, "we were going to go straight back anyway."
[Let's keep moving.]
Once again embraced by the surging mana of the wave, my core is back in top condition before too long and we make our way through the farms to the deepest point of the Colony's territory. The sound of furious battle rings from the stone and ants rush everywhere, doing a thousand different tasks. I find the general still at her post from when I left, watching over proceedings with a stern eye as she ensures her checkpoint is performing at maximum efficiency.
"Reporting for duty once more, general!" I salute.
"Nice to see you again, Eldest. We've given some ground in the last few hours as the demon concentration continues to rise. We'll be happy if you can lead the charge to retake the outer defences, we'd lose good soldiers if we had to do it without your help."
"Not a problem general, it'll be done in a jiffy."
-x-X-x-
It doesn't take long to organise my pets and let them know what we've been tasked with. What takes a little longer is explaining to them exactly what is going to happen as a result of the 'allies' that the Council has decided to dump on our laps. The heavily armoured soldier in front of me looks a little nervous, which is ridiculous considering she's a behemoth of an ant weighed down by hundreds of kilograms of metal.
"Are you going to make this painful for me, Leeroy?"
"No... Eldest. Just going to charge out and defeat... the enemy?"
"Why does that smell like a question!? What else were you hoping to defeat? You know what, don't answer that. I'll just make one thing perfectly clear, not a single one of you is going to die on this charge, alright? Not a one! In fact, I'll make it my personal mission that you all return with fully topped off health, not a single scratch on you."
She slumps a little, dejected.
"Alright, Eldest," she mutters, "have it your way."
"Why are you giving me this attitude, huh?!" I poke her with an antenna, "I'm talking about keeping you alive! Is there some reason you aren't happy about that, Leeroy? Anything you want to tell me? Hmm? You surely aren't going against the very first lesson I taught you, are you?! Because that might influence me to get you back into training with me for a little while. I might want to make sure you brush up on the basics..."
"No, Eldest! I treasure my life, and so do all my followers!"
"Wait," comes a scent from behind Leeroy, "we do?"
The council member studiously ignores her follower and stares at me, antennae twitching outside of her control. I sigh.
"Immortals... a fine joke. Alright, this is how we're going to do this. I'll go in front, you guys go behind. We mow them down and let Crinis and Tiny deal the bulk of the damage, we just need to use our mass to push them back and crush them against the next chokepoint. Clear? Any questions?"
I direct my question to the lines of armoured soldiers behind their leader and one enterprising individual raises an antenna.
"Yes, you at the front."
"Hi, Eldest... doesn't this plan seem a little safe?"
"You're at the very back of the formation now. I'll have shields and healing magic on you for the entirety of the mission. Anyone else?"
Predictably, none do. The ant in questions clanks her way dejectedly to the back of the line.
"Alright then, form up behind me, we'll push through when we get the signal."
[Tiny, you know what to do?]
He gives me an offended look.
[No, I don't need to ask Crinis, because she listens, and you have not answered my question.]
He grunts angrily.
[Good. I just have to check, alright?]
Touchy ape. He gets moody when we have a pre-fight briefing sometimes, too eager to get to the smashing. We file forward in two narrow columns as the sound of battle grows louder. Up ahead, the ants are defending the third chokepoint like a well-oiled machine, striking, dodging, moving and rotating like the gears in a clock. And who do I spy calling the shots out here, but Sloan herself.
"Ready to open up a gap?" I call to her, waving.
"Be ready for my mark!" she says, watching the battle unfold intently.
I do a final check over myself, making sure I have myself in top condition before doing the same for my pets, one by one. I keep a sharp eye on Leeroy as well, the closer we get to sallying out the more intense the energy I'm getting from her becomes. In fact, all of the immortals are starting to emit some eerie vibes. Beneath the line of their helmets, their compound eyes are filled with a strange light. It's almost as if they can only truly feel alive the closer they come to danger.
"Mark!" comes the call.
"WE SEEK!" comes an overpowering wave of pheromones from behind.
Holy smokes! I start dashing instantly, not because it's the plan, but because if I don't I'm worried I'm going to get run over by the morons behind me! I might be far larger than they are, but when put together they are packing a lot of weight.
[Let's go guys!]
"HUURRAAAAAAA!" Tiny's reverberating roar of joy and rage shatters the air and pierces straight through the din of the fighting.
Sloan and her troops pull back from the opening and we lunge through. I go first and a veritable wall of enemies looms in front of me, ravenous and mad they claw at each other and anything else they can reach in their desperation. I've been slowly levelling my charge Skill and I utilise the information it gave me now, timing my run and bracing my body to absorb the impact as best as possible.
CRUNCH!
With a sickening noise I slam into the leading monster, my shoulder angled to drive straight into the creature, and I keep going, the weight of the Immortals behind me driving me forward.
CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH!
Head down, legs pumping, I push onward without stopping, running right over the top of the monsters as they fall before the combined might of our charge. Then Tiny is there, bounding forward and blasting all before him with concentrated lightning, roaring his challenge and defiance. Crinis rises from her place on my carapace, a nightmarish visage of three bottomless mouths set within an inky form of pure darkness. The two wreak havoc as the charge continues, driving forth all before it.
I can see why the Immortals and Leeroy get so hung up on these assaults. This is exhilarating stuff! Rushing forward into the enemy, running them down and motoring onward gives such a feeling of power, of strength! This must be why they got addicted to this sort of offensive. I did sort of say to Smithant that I'd get a set of armour when I evolved... I'm very, very reluctant to get anything that's going to cover up my magnificent carapace, but I could be tempted, if the right materials were found...
My legs do not tire, my muscles do not ache, thanks to the Vestibule, and I keep rushing forward, chomping with my mandibles and shoulder ramming every shadow beast and demon that dares to place itself in front of me. Gweheheheh! Nothing is going to stop us!
-x-X-x-
Our charge continued unbroken until we reached the second defensive line, the monsters in our way were unable to stand before our might. Once we reached that point, I sent my three pets forward to defend the choke point as the Immortals and I collected ourselves. Unlike me, most of them were exhausted after the mad run and in need of a breather.
"Are you guys going to be alright for the second charge?" I ask Leeroy. "We can do it without you if necessary."
"We'll be fine!" she replied, her scent strong and confident despite her drooping antennae and shaking legs. "The Immortals will never give up a chance to fight!"
"Aren't you just anxious because they haven't been letting you fight for a while now?" I ask, sceptically. "Doesn't matter I suppose, you'll have some time to rest so recommend you all take a load off your legs and relax for a little while. We'll be heading out again in about half an hour."
Filled with relief at the chance to take a break, Leeroy and her followers collapse to the ground with a loud 'clank!' as their armour rattles against the hard stone. It's quite the amusing sight, especially when compared to how fired up they were before our charge started. A few minutes later, a detachment of defenders arrives on the scene, getting to work cleaning up and re-establishing their post here. Some things need repairs and a team of carvers jump to it, fixing damaged stone sections of the chokepoint and re-hardening the stone. When the soldiers move to relieve my pets of their job holding off the wave, I shake my head at them. Tiny and Crinis are still a little ways away from their evolution and this is another good opportunity for them. I'll have them make use of it to the fullest.
"You can take over from us once we push out for the first line," I tell the waiting general. "For now just make sure the tunnel is clear and check over the Immortals for injuries, as you get situated again. We'll be here for a half hour or so."
Not tired at all, I wander this way and that, checking in with everyone and making sure that every ant has the help that they need to perform their duties before heading over to the chokepoint and lending a hand to my crew. It won't do to tire them out too much, considering we have another stretch of tunnel to push through. Once we're done here, we'll have to move to another checkpoint and do the same thing. This lower section of the territory suffered the most during my absence and I'm determined to push back the wave in one fell swoop to make up for it.
After ten minutes, I make my way over to Tiny and Crinis to help them out, using my elemental magic to lob a few cheap shots into the crowd. That sweet, sweet combat experience is nothing to be looked down on! A cheeky level here or there and who knows, I might manage to rank up my omni-elemental magic sometime in the next century.
By the time half an hour is done, the ants have finished repairing the walls that we feel comfortable turning the defence over to their hands whilst we prepare for the next surge. I head to Leeroy who's still collapsed on the ground and nudge her with an antenna.
"What's the story, Leeroy? Are you rested enough or do you want me to do this one without you?"
Immediately, her eyes flash with an intense light that took me aback as she and the rest of the Immortals slowly pushed themselves off the ground, overtaken by a sudden and unnatural vigour.
"We are ready for this assault and a thousand more! The search is never ending!"
"Okay, chill!"
Yeesh. Immortals or Zombies? These siblings of mine are creeping me out.
"Then you have a little time, we'll form up and get ready to run out. One way ticket right up to the first defensive line."
"Sounds good," the revived soldier replies.
A quick check on Tiny and Crinis to make sure they're still prepared to bring the firepower that we need and then we form up ready to go.
"WE SEEK!" roar the Immortals.
"Let's go!" I cry, setting my legs and then we're off!"
Through the choke point and into the howling madness of the wave once more we go, putting mandibles and carapace to the test as we smash our way through monster after monster, once more forming that unstoppable landslide of the Colony's wrath. Nothing can stop us! Nothing can stand before us!
Except that.
I was the first to sense it, being at the front as I am. My antennae tingle with a feeling of otherness, something I'd never felt before. Perhaps if I hadn't reforged those delicate sensors with the Twilight Filament, I may not have noticed at all until it was too late.
"Hit the brakes!" I scream back at Leeroy.
[STOP!] I simultaneously roar at my pets.
But even as I yell it, I know that the heavily armoured ants won't be able to stop fast enough. With the weight that they carry and the momentum they've built up, it will be difficult for them to stop at all. Realising this, I ram my claws into the ground, Gripping for all I'm worth as I swing my body around, placing myself as a physical barrier between the oncoming Immortals and whatever it is I sensed. I brace for a split second before Leeroy rams into my side, followed by the dozens of her sisters.
Impact after impact rocks my carapace and rattles my mandibles as I hold on for dear life. So severe are the shocks that even my diamond carapace starts to crack from the sheer force. Every hit pushes me a little bit closer to that unerring sizzle in the air that I felt, and my antennae start to burn, sending ripples of pain down their length as they dip into something they surely don't like. Finally the last of the Immortals is brought to a halt as they run into the back of what must look like a ten car pile-up, ants on top of ants with tons of twisted metal to boot.
"Eldest? What the heck was that?" Leeroy groans.
"Shut up, I sense something bad. You need to get your sisters together and get the heck out of here."
"What? Why?"
"This isn't something you can deal with. Leave, now."
Saying my piece I turn away from her and face toward the monster now lurking on the edge of the gloom. A vile, poisonous energy ripples in the air around it, chewing into everything it touches. This is an energy that I've never felt before, something that not even the demons possess.
"You must be a long way from home, beastie... and I'm guessing you didn't come for a vacation? May as well give you a warm welcome... after all, it's a long way from the fourth strata."
-x-X-x-
The monster in question cannot detect my pheromones, at least I hope they can't, so I'm not entirely sure why I bothered to taunt it. Probably to hype myself up for the fight, because just looking at this thing is intimidating. All of my senses scream that something is wrong and the closer I get to it, the more my body protests. My antennae ripple with the sensation of pain, as though the air itself had become toxic. To my mana sense it appears as if the energy surrounding the creature were being... infected, for want of a better word... changing from the familiar shadow and death mana to become something completely different.
As the flow of energy eddies and swirls, that pulsing green and yellow disperses the further from the source it gets, but even small amounts seem to be having an effect. Everywhere it has touched, the corals and other small living things that live here in shadows have started to die, wilting as if they'd been sprayed with weedkiller. It's a shocking sight, because I don't believe I've come across any type of mana that would kill with merely its sheer presence. From what I can detect, the monster itself hasn't cast a spell of any kind, it's simply exuding this virulent mana in a steady flow, and the mana does the rest...
Just what sort of mana is it? Surely nothing as simple as poison?
The creature itself is the next thing that catches my eye as it prowls in the darkness just beyond the range my eyes can see well. Its face is definitely frog like, but the mouth is too wide, and its eyes are far too large. Beyond that, I can't make much out other than its limbs are thin and wiry, almost weirdly when compared to the size of its face. It's big though, possibly close to my own length, if not close to my mass.
My first encounter with a monster from the legendary strata of infection. I sure as heck hope that I don't catch anything gross from it.
[Invidia, I want you on healing and backup. Keep a close eye on the mana around the monster. I have a real bad feeling about it.]
[I sssshallll.]
[Tiny and Crinis, I want you two to pull back a bit. This is a tougher fight than you're ready for and until I know more about these monsters I don't want to risk you.]
[But, Master-!]
[GRRRR.]
[Absolutely not! I'm far stronger than you are so I'm the one who will bear the risk. And if you think I'm going to let you run in and get yourself killed after I've put in so much effort to keeping you alive, Tiny, then you are completely mad! Now move back! Both of you!]
Unable to refuse my order, the two retreat a few metres and I put them out of my mind, focusing all of my attention on the beast in front of me. I take a few measured steps forward as my considerable brain power starts to tick into overdrive. What magic should I use to counter it? How will it attack? Being able to fight against so many new foes recently has been a real treat after the endless varieties of shadow beast I've dealt with over the previous weeks, and this one promises to be special. A creature from a whole new strata!
Come on... What are you going to show me?
The monster's lips draw back to reveal a horrifying smile that I can see clearly even through the shadows, given that its teeth literally shine in the dark, coated as they are with a thick, green slime. As I draw ever so slightly closer, the monster slows its own movement, watching my every move with two bulbous eyes. I hesitate. Should I try and communicate with it? Go all out on offense? Judging by the power of its core, this beastie is tier six for sure, there's no doubt that it would be intelligent enough to approach sentience.
Looking at the monster and the toxic atmosphere that surrounds it, I dismiss the idea of engaging in conversation. There's something about the way it's eyeing me that makes me think trying to talk to it wouldn't be wise...
If that's the case, if we're going to go for it, then I'm better served by going large early. The omni-elemental construct is prepared and I start pumping burning hot blue fire mana through it, weaving the resulting energy into a burning jet of flame that I hold at the ready. My feet continue to creep forward and gradually, piece by piece, the monster slowly draws nearer, the aura and stench of infection growing stronger all the while.
I draw my mandibles wide in a threatening fashion as we slowly start to circle around each other. The other monster is lithe and wiry, if it weren't for that head, I'd think it was well built for speed, but -
WHOOSH!
After leaning to one side and pausing for a brief moment, the creature suddenly blurs in my vision and vanishes. My senses scream in warning, my antennae burning with predictions of a dire future. My nerves fire and my large body darts to one side with deceptive speed, flashing out of the way of the slime coated jaws that snap shut in the space I had occupied only a moment before.
That was close! This guy isn't just fast, he's super fast! Reacting on instinct, I lunge forward, trying to catch the beast before it can recover. The muscles in my face release their tension and my mandibles slam forward as I activate my most potent bite attack.
DOOM CHOMP!
The jaws of black light manifest and chomp together before I even register the pain, but the moment I do, it's agonizing. I feel like my whole face is on fire! What the heck is going on?! My mandibles crash together and I find that the creature has almost managed to escape without harm, a jagged tear down the side of its body the only mark I put on it, but just being this close to it is causing me damage.
Burn it with fire!
A wave of blue flame erupts from between my mandibles. I unleash a raging gout of flame that wouldn't shame a dragon with its heat and size. Instantly, the frozen air of the shadow sea is filled with flames and everything before me begins to burn. Gweheheh. Crispy enough for you?
-x-X-x-
Turns out that, whilst the fire was indeed crispy, the monster did not enjoy it. The only unfortunate thing was that it didn't not enjoy it sufficiently enough to immediately perish. Having missed its initial bite and then been bitten and burned, the toad creature snarls, its lips pulling back from those horrendous teeth and grinding out a sound like nails on a chalkboard combined with bones snapping. It's quite distressing.
I allow the flames to dissipate to get a better visual of my opponent and I find them lurking just out of the fire's range staring at me with baleful eyes. With this level of distance between us I feel confident taking a second to evaluate myself and I do so with one of my sub-brains. What I find is more than a little shocking. Despite not suffering an attack, despite only being close to the stupid toad for only a few moments, it's chewed through ten percent of my HP! How?!
[Invidia?! Can you check me for impurities in my mana?]
[Sssss. It will be done.]
The piercing green eye flashes with power as that immense brain goes to work and in only a few heartbeats the little demon has completed his work.
[It hassss infected you. Your mana issss being tainted.]
How in the hell?! Watching the frog carefully I use my sub-brain to turn my mana sense inwards, scouring through the mana channels of my own body and I'm shocked to find that Invidia is completely correct. It's small, but there are places where the creature's mana has somehow gotten into my system, and just as it's doing in the area around us, it is converting the mana it comes into contact with its own, spreading the damage further.
But that doesn't explain how it got in! Desperate to understand how I was harmed, I angle my body slightly so I can better see my own carapace and I'm shocked to see a few places where the glittering diamond has crumbled into a blackened mess. The spots are small, easy to go without noticing if I wasn't looking so carefully, but they are definitely there. It managed to break down my carapace so quickly? That's insane! I didn't even feel it? Except there was that moment of blinding pain when I drew close enough to bite it... that hadn't felt like it'd come from my back though, or anyplace in particular. It had felt like my entire body had been dipped in acid mixed with poison, with an added spoon of radioactive viruses and a sweaty sock.
Is it just an aura power?
The more I stare at the toad, the more I think I'm right. Somehow, the mana around its body is corrosive, infectious and replicates itself, and I think it can control that mana at will, as if it were an aura generated by a gland. It's the only thing that makes sense...
My musings are rudely interrupted as the frog decides it has had enough of sitting back on its legs and launches into action. With two leaps with its withered, twisted limbs it rockets around the tunnel, opening its mouth wide to deliver a blast of pure toxic mana in my direction.
Not good!
Nerves afire with panic I get the heck out of the way as that concentrated ball of pain splashes onto the rock where I'd been standing, dissolving it into a hissing mess in an instant. Holy Moly! That is intense! Keen not to get hit again I continue to move in rapid bursts, relying on my nerves and foresight to track the frog as it throws its body around the tunnel at Vibrant-pleasing speeds, raining hell on me from above, to the side and from any other angle it can find.
Dammit! This is making it hard to find a window to retaliate! If I want to get my mandibles on this punk, then I need to close the distance, which is hard when it's so much faster than me... Even though getting closer to it is a guaranteed way to suffer from that horrendous aura effect, but it's better than trying to hit this thing with spells from range as it zips all over the place, bombarding me with this sludge mana!
DASH!
Firing my legs in sequential bursts to stack up multiple dashes at once, I rocket forward, zooming in a straight line toward the point I predict the frog will have to land next. As I'd hoped, it doesn't seem capable of changing its direction in mid-air and is forced to complete its jump, which will place it right in range of my jaws. As I rush forward, another ball of sludge flies over my back to impact on the floor behind me. Mandibles wide open and locked in place, I close the distance between us in an instant.
The moment I draw close enough, I feel that burning pain return, except this time, I somewhat know what to expect. When I'm paying attention, I can feel it go to work, eating into my antennae, my carapace, my eyes and my legs, everything that's exposed to it. I certainly don't want to put up with it for long!
DOOM CHOMP COMBO!
Using my new rapid-fire combo skill, my mandibles enjoy a massive increase in speed at a vast increase in stamina cost. In less than a second, I launch three rapid doom chomps, my entire body straining with the sheer amount of energy it takes out of me, but it's worth it. Put in a poor position to dodge, my toad nemesis is forced to try and evade my bites as best it can, but is not as successful as before. It manages to escape, but not unscathed, one of its legs is only a shadow of its former self.
How do you like that action, frog? Not going to be able to leap about quite as freely now, are ya?! Although, getting that close to the damn thing has eaten into my HP again.
[Can I get a heal, Invidia?]
I trigger the healing gland within me as well, unwilling to take any chances as I track the toad's movement. Despite the loss of the limb, the monster doesn't look too worried, still glaring down at me with those bulging, oversized eyeballs. They really are creepy now that I get a good loo -
Oh, snap!
As it retreats, the frog unleashes a wide spray of the corrosive mana from its mouth, more of a straight up wall of spew than a ball of the stuff. To escape this curtain of poison, I'm forced to leap backwards, which is when I realise I've fallen into the horrible creature's trap! What lies on the ground behind me isn't a safe zone of clean rock, as I'd thought, but a grotesque sea of green bile. All those shots I'd thought I'd dodged, the damn stuff doesn't go away, it just keeps spreading! Half the tunnel floor is covered in it now!
As I sail down to my inevitably painful landing, I can't help but flex my claws a little. This is probably going to sting... or at least it would be painful if I was going to end up landing in it.
[Invidia!]
Using his prodigious mind powers, the demon condenses a shield out of pure mana and air, snapping it together before I reach the ground. Placed horizontally, the barrier acts as a stable landing platform for my large frame and I grip the edges as I land heavily on it, ensuring I don't slide off.
How about that, frog-face!? Didn't expect me to have this sort of trick up my sleeve, did ya?! As Invidia has improved and ranked up his barrier magic, even something like this has become possible for him, although it drains quite a lot of mana and is more than a little taxing on him. To hold up my kind of weight in the air with nothing but air is... a challenge, even for the big brained demon.
Is my spell ready yet? Not quite. Despite their improvement, creating something like this is difficult for the sub-brains. As I carefully scan for my opponent, I lend the potent force of my main mind to the task. Drawing out mana and feeding it to the concerted efforts of my three weaker minds.
Ah, there you are, you disgusting punk. Clinging to the roof and looking at my position, standing on a shimmering plane of air, the beast has a somewhat quizzical expression on its face, as if confused that I haven't fallen into its pit of bile as it had expected me to. Alas not, mister frog, although the strategy was clear evidence of intelligence on the part of the monster. Once again, I consider attempting to make mental contact with this creature but dismiss the idea. For all I know, its thoughts are just as toxic as the rest of it and would taint my mana over the connection, I can't risk it.
[Masssster issss heavy.]
Oh, right.
[Sorry, Invidia. I'll move, just give me a second whilst I look for... somewhere... to.. stand?]
As I look around, I see that the horrific bile has continued to multiply and spread, consuming the shadow mana in the area and extending its tendrils into the air, flowing over the stone and running in little waterfalls into new crevices. Which conveniently has left me with very few places to stand. I flex my legs and launch myself toward the wall to my right, my claws digging deep into the stone to find purchase as I hang sideways.
It isn't comfortable. I'm not nearly as mobile as I used to be on surfaces like this due to my increase in weight without a corresponding increase to my Grip, but it'll have to do for now.
[Invidia and Crinis, I need you two to try and do something about this mana! Break it down, redirect the goop into a pit or something, I don't care what you do, but you need to do it fast!]
Spell ready yet? Still no! Damn, the sub-brains still aren't cut out for this yet? I thought for sure...
Whoa!
My antennae flare with warning as the toad once again launches its ball of hateful spew-mana in my direction and this time, dodging is more than a little difficult. Going to have to go for it! Dash! My legs fire one after the other as I try to maintain my grip on the wall but still move at speed and I find it much harder than I thought. I'm not going to make it! Thinking quickly, I split my legs wide and slam my claws into the stone, desperately trying to hold on as the horrific stuff sears my back, a portion splattering onto my carapace and burning with a harsh flare of pain. And not just burning, I can already feel the infection spreading as the green energy seeps through the wound, trickling into my body and trying to destroy my own mana.
Gah! Not good! My legs are shaking!
Spread wide from the body is not the natural state for ant legs and it's more than a little difficult to hold myself up. I need more power! For the first time, I fire up the new Vestibule, desperate for the strength boost that it will provide. I feel it almost instantly. The ever present Will that flows through the Vestibule and into the Nave changes direction and ... form. Instead of nourishing my body as a whole, a huge chunk flows directly into my muscles and tendons, infusing them with newfound power.
Holy Moly! My legs steady in a moment and I reposition myself, skittering about on the wall like a hatchling, my legs flickering and my claws gripping with a strength they have never before possessed. Wow! The effect is way more pronounced than I expected. In terms of raw stats, it feels like having an extra fifty points of Might tacked on for free! Maybe more!
How's that spell? Close! Super close! I think I might need to go for it.
The toad watches me with bulging eyes as I zip around on the walls with newfound speed, clinging to its own perch on the ceiling. With its long, razor thin limbs, I doubt the creature weighs much, it can probably hold itself up there indefinitely if it chooses to. I stay on the move and eye my opponent carefully, the next opening will be my chance to go for the kill and I refuse to miss it. This monster has been a royal pain in the business district to fight and I won't let it get away.
As I watch, I can almost see the thoughts flickering through the creature's head, until those two eyes gleam with sudden certainty. Is it coming? What's going to be next. My shock is almost total when the frog instead turns around and attempts to flee.
YOU WHAT?!
Monsters don't run during a wave, dammit! Get back here! It's fast, much faster than I am, but I'm fortunate in that this is a one way tunnel and it only has one direction to go. Let's go Anthony! DASH! Three pairs of legs infused with more strength than ever before flex then launch, propelling me forward like a rocket. At the same time I reach within and take hold of the mana that my sub-brains have been busy shaping for me during this high-octane fight and fling it forward.
The gravity bomb howls into existence as it always does, spinning forward as it consumes all in its path. Even the frog reacts to that terrible sound as the very air around it starts to get pulled backwards by the approaching orb. It speeds its flight, but I've launched the spell ahead of it, there simply isn't anywhere for it to go.
Suddenly no longer interested in running forward, I put on the brakes and screech to a halt, dropping onto a section of clear floor and holding on for dear life as my deadliest spell blossoms into life right in front of the monster's face.
[You have slain level 91 Infectio Venandi.]
[You have gained experience.]
[You have reached level 4.]
[You have reached level 5.]
Goodbye, frog-monster. You were disgusting and I will not miss you.